An International Fund for Animal Welfare marine mammal rescue and research team performed a necropsy on a young minke whale that stranded and died in Wellfleet on Wednesday, according to organization spokeswoman Kerry Branon.

The male whale was spotted swimming in Wellfleet Harbor on Wednesday, but stranded and then died shortly after the team began to provide care, Branon said.

Researchers are investigating the animal’s cause of death and its condition.

Minke whales are common with a population that is believed to top a million individuals, and frequently seen in waters around Cape Cod. They can grow to up to 33 feet long and weigh up to 10 tons, according to the American Cetacean Society.